Volume 5 Chapter 3

VOLUME 5 – CONNECTED FEELINGS file 03: yearning ()

–

1

–

We found Takeda Shunsuke –

Miyagawa received that news at about noon. He moved to the wireless to give instructions immediately.

‘Report the situation!’

He yelled at the wireless. The other investigation team members who were still in the room gathered round as well.

The nerves in the detective room had peaked.

The one who answered was the detective in command at the scene, Shimizu.

Shimizu and the team had received information from an eyewitness who had sighted Takeda and had been questioning civilians near the abandoned building. They had spotted him coincidentally.

‘Were you able to confirm it was Takeda?’

Miyagawa felt irritated by the vague response.

‘Was there anyone else who saw him?’

‘Weren’t any other investigation members nearby?’

Shimizu was being completely unclear. Well, fine. They’d give their undivided attention to catching Takeda now.

Miyagawa cleared his mind of his irritation.

‘Where are you stationed?’

Miyagawa followed the location with his finger on the enlarged map on his desk.

He was spotted near this building, went onto the prefectural road and headed north – if it went well, they might catch up.

‘I’ll send reinforcements.’

When Miyagawa pointed at the map, the four investigation members by his desk ran out of the room.

If they went ahead and blockaded the escape routes, they would definitely be able to stop him.

‘I won’t let him get away.’

Miyagawa gritted his teeth.

A message came from Shimizu over the wireless.

– I’ll finally be able to catch Takeda.

The event that took fifteen years would come to an end. When Miyagawa thought that, he felt exhilarated.

There was silence –

They might be able to secure Takeda before reinforcements arrived.

Sweat rolled down Miyagawa’s back in his nervous state.

The hesitant voice made Miyagawa’s heart beat more quickly.

‘What happened?’

‘What!? Say it clearly!’ yelled Miyagawa.

‘Lost?’

What Haruka said was very far from what Ishii had expected.

– She’s going to forgive me?

‘Something was wrong with me then. Let’s save Yakumo-shi and Detective Gotou with our own hands no matter what!’

Haruka gave a firm reply.

Ishii closed his eyes in his happiness and grinned unconsciously as he imagined Haruka’s smiling figure.

Oops, he didn’t have the time to space out. Ishii came to his senses and started his laptop.

Since it was an old model, it took a full minute to load up.

He connected to the internet and opened the mail software to check for new mail.

It seemed Haruka had sent it from her mobile phone. The email had already arrived.

The subject was . The mail said

There was too little information. He didn’t know how to search from just this. It wasn’t impossible, but it would take some time.

He opened the attached image.

The photo had probably been taken with a mobile phone camera. The image was small on the screen and difficult to make out. Ishii maximised it to fill the monitor.

’T-this man is…’

Ishii thought his chin would fall off from his surprise.

This man is Takeda Shunsuke –

Ishii immediately took out his mobile phone and called Haruka’s number.

–

7

–

Makoto met with the hypnotherapist named Hayashi in the booth that was sectioned off as a reception space.

He was wearing a casual suit with no tie. He was tall and solidly built, but he didn’t seem intimidating.

He had a gentle demeanour and seemed like a good listener.

He even listened seriously to Makoto’s crazy story.

That said, it wasn’t actually something Makoto had thought up. The crazy story was all Ishii’s theory.

Even Makoto had been surprised when she had heard Ishii’s reasoning. She had thought it was very removed from reality.

‘I see. I understand what you’re saying.’

After Makoto finished talking, Hayashi thought silently for a while, but then he rubbed his two hands together and spoke.

‘First, regarding whether what you discussed is possible or impossible, it is possible under several conditions.’

‘Eh? It’s possible?’

Unconsciously, Makoto half-rose from her seat.

Since she had doubted Ishii’s theory, she was even more surprised.

‘Well, please calm down.’

After Hayashi pacified Makoto, she sat back on the chair with a red face. Hayashi waited for her to finish before speaking again.

‘The person who thought of this method is very intelligent. They understand the characteristics of hypnotic suggestion and are using it effectively.’

As Hayashi said that, he smiled bitterly.

‘Characteristics?’

‘Yes. Many people misunderstand this, but hypnotic suggestion cannot be used to control people freely.’

‘Which means?’

‘Those actions come from that person’s own intentions, so it is impossible to make somebody act in a way they do not want to.’

Makoto also knew that hypnotic suggestion couldn’t control people freely.

On television, she often saw hypnotists making people fall asleep with a snap of their fingers and telling those people what to do, but those were just shows.

However, then there was a contradiction in what they had said so far.

‘But earlier, you said that the method was possible. Isn’t it impossible to control people?’

‘It is a little bit different. Even if you were hypnotised somebody and told to kill somebody once you opened your eyes, that would be absolutely impossible.’

‘Why is that?’

‘Because their morals wouldn’t allow it. Actions that go against one’s morals will not stick.’

Makoto nodded. She understood that much.

Even though they would be hypnotised, that didn’t mean their personality would disappear. Accordingly, somebody wouldn’t act if they didn’t want to, even if forced.

‘Hypnotic suggestion must stay within the range allowed by one’s morals.’

Under that meaning, the trick in the method this time hadn’t required anybody to directly kill somebody, so it could be said to be within the range allowed by one’s morals. However –

‘Wouldn’t that mean anything was possible if it was morally acceptable?’

Hayashi crossed his arms at Makoto’s words.

‘That isn’t exactly right. Being put under hypnotic suggestion is like being guided by one’s intentions.’

‘Yes.’

‘Rather than an order, it’s guidance. This is important. For example, what do you think one should say to tell somebody they could no longer lift their arm?’

Hayashi was good at explaining. Makoto was engrossed.

‘Your arm will not go up. Saying that would be no good. There is a weight on your arm now. A very large and heavy weight. A weight that nobody would be able to lift, no matter how strong they were. That is the sort of image you would give.’

By giving the brain a reason and making that an image, you could guide the actions.

‘Then that would mean somebody was there giving hypnotic suggestion.’

‘That wouldn’t be necessary,’ said Hayashi firmly.

‘Is it possible to put somebody under hypnotic suggestion from a distance?’

‘This is a little different. The method of hypnotic suggestion is done so that the suggestion is triggered by something.’

‘Huh…’

Makoto didn’t understand yet.

‘For example, spin at the sound of a bell. If that were the hypnotic suggestion, the person who was hypnotised would spin at the sound of a bell even if the hypnotist was not there.’

But Hayashi himself had said that even if somebody was under hypnotic suggestion, they were still conscious when hypnotised.

That would mean that they remembered being put under hypnotic suggestion.

‘Wouldn’t there be no point if the person under hypnotic suggestion could remember what happened?’

Makoto voiced the question as it came to her.

‘It is just as you say. Another point is necessary for hypnotic suggestion.’

Hayashi held up his index finger.

‘What is it?’

‘That is to tell the person going under hypnotic suggestion to forget that they were under at the same time. It is called hypnotic amnesia.’

‘Hypnotic amnesia?’

‘Yes. In short, people are conscious when hypnotised. They remember what they do even when guided. There would be no meaning to it then. That is why it is necessary to also give the suggestion to forget what happened under hypnosis afterwards.’

Makoto could feel her heart racing as she listened to Hayashi’s explanation.

‘Is that possible?’

‘Yes, it is.’

This was proof. Makoto had a real response.

Putting aside whether this actually happened or not, Ishii’s theory was possible.

However, if it was possible, did it really –

‘That’s frightening.’

Makoto said that unconsciously.

Hayashi’s expression had been gentle up until now, but it turned grim.

‘I apologise.’

Makoto gave an honest apology for her careless words.

‘No, it’s fine. But I would like for you not to misunderstand – hypnotic suggestion comes down to how it is used.’

‘How it is used…’

‘Yes. We hypnotherapists use hypnotic suggestion to treat the mind. We heal traumas that people do not know they have and relieve people of their psychological stress. Please don’t treat us all as criminals.’

It was just as Hayashi said.

They studied hypnotic suggestion to heal people’s hearts. They weren’t using it for crime.

‘It’s the same for surgeons, isn’t it? It is their job to cure people’s bodies with their scalpels. However, it would be incorrect to blame their scalpels because they could be used for crime. Everything depends on how something is used.’

Makoto regretted her foolish remark and bowed her head deeply again.

It was wrong to reject everything because of one example of misuse. Even the medicine from hospitals would become poison if used incorrectly.

Furthermore, what happened this time had occurred from a number of coincidences and wasn’t something that somebody could do that easily.

Makoto had been doubtful at first, but now she agreed with Ishii’s theory and was certain that the true culprit of the case fifteen years ago was somebody different.

–

8

–

When Haruka heard the information about the man in the photo from Ishii, she was stunned.

Yakumo had probably realised everything from the very start.

That the woman in the video was his own mother, and the suspect for the crime that occurred where the video was taken was the man who was supposed to become his father –

The place Haruka had finally arrived at had just been the starting line for Yakumo.

Disappointment welled up within Haruka. At this pace, it didn’t seem like she would ever catch up to Yakumo.

‘What’s wrong?’

Haruka came back to her senses when Keiko called out to her.

‘This man’s name. It’s Takeda Shunsuke-san,’ said Haruka, pointing at the photo.

Keiko didn’t appear to understand the significance of that and replied shortly, ‘I see.’

‘Takeda Shunsuke-san was the suspect for a murder case fifteen years ago and is on the run now…’

‘Eh?’

Keiko finally understood the situation and snatched the photo back from Haruka, putting it so close to her face that her nose almost touched it.

Even though the truth wouldn’t change even if she looked at it from close up or far away, Haruka understood why Keiko would do that.

She couldn’t believe it, nor did she want to.

If this is true, then what sort of fate did Azusa bear on her shoulders –

One day, she was suddenly abducted and confined, and she was assaulted physically and psychologically. She ended up bearing a child that she did not want.

Still, she forced herself to stand up again and live her life.

Then, just when she finally found a partner to support her and was about to embark on her new life, that person ended up being chased by the police as the culprit to a murder case.

She must have wanted everything to be a dream. She must have wished for that countless times. But the truth was mercilessly there.

A cruel truth that was everywhere –

If Haruka had been in the same position, she might have even given up on living.

‘I can’t believe that this person…’

Keiko shook her head like she didn’t understand.

He didn’t look like the sort of person who would do such a thing. Haruka had the same impression. And there were other things she didn’t understand.

If Takeda was the suspect for a murder case and the police were after him, why didn’t the investigation go to Azusa –

She must have noticed.

‘Mum, do you know how Takeda-san and Azusa-san met?’

‘I do. When I got the letter about her marriage, I was so happy I called her.’

Keiko smiled. Her eyes seemed to be looking far away.

She was probably recalling how she felt then. Being able to share one’s feelings with somebody was really amazing.

‘This person was a newspaper reporter and called out to Azusa-san and Yakumo-kun when they were at the park. Asked them to let him take a photo. That was how they met.’

‘I see…’

Haruka imagined Azusa and Yakumo playing at a park.

What sort of expressions did they have on their faces then –

Takeda had chosen them for a photo, so they must have been smiling.

‘They probably had a lot in common. They decided to marry a month after meeting.’

‘A month!?’

Haruka’s voice jumped an octave.

That was a huge difference from somebody who hadn’t been able to express her feelings for over a year.

Even though she did think that was fast, it wasn’t like it was impossible, and there really were people like that. Dating for months and years wasn’t proof of the bond between two people.

The short time period probably hid their relationship.

That was why Isshin and the police hadn’t found out.

That meant that Azusa had told Keiko about her marriage before her own brother, Isshin.

It showed how much she’d trusted her.

Haruka was even more confused now though. Why hadn’t Azusa consulted Keiko even once before she was so cornered she would lay a hand on her own son?

If she had, she might not have thought of trying to kill Yakumo.

Had she been unable to talk about it because she trusted Keiko?

– No. That isn’t it.

Haruka felt that something was off.

–

9

–

After Miyagawa left the room, he went down the corridor to the door to the at the very end, opposite the toilet.

When he went inside, Ishii was on his mobile. He said, ‘I will call again later,’ hung up, and stood straight.

‘Just sit down.’

After Miyagawa said that, he sat at Gotou’s seat opposite Ishii.

‘I apologise for asking for something unreasonable.’

Ishii bowed his head, and he was sitting frankly for once.

– He’s had a good look these past couple of days.

When Miyagawa looked at Ishii’s face directly, he thought that keenly.

Up until yesterday, Miyagawa had just thought of him as a beansprout that only knew how to wail, but this case might have drawn out his sleeping ability.

Still, what was with the gauze covering his nose?

‘What happened to your nose?’

‘Ah, er, you might not believe this, but a chair fell down from the sky.’

– Crap. It’s my fault.

‘How unlucky.’

Miyagawa didn’t think it was necessary to give his name, so he just let the conversation flow.

Ishii looked at Miyagawa like he wanted something.

It was like Ishii was telling him to take the documents out already. But Miyagawa couldn’t just hand them over without knowing what was going on.

‘Why do you need documents about suspects for a case that’s already had a culprit determined?’

Miyagawa fixed Ishii with a strong gaze.

‘Because there is the possibility that he isn’t the true culprit.’

Miyagawa was so shocked he couldn’t even be angry.

‘Don’t say something stupid with no basis for it.’

‘I do have a basis for it.’

Miyagawa had planned on cutting Ishii down, but Ishii leant forward with a challenging gaze.

There might actually be something there if this coward was going to say this much. Miyagawa faltered.

‘Try telling me.’

‘Yes. Just earlier, I received a report of confirmation from an expert over the phone,’ said Ishii, looking pleased. He was like a child who’d received a toy.

‘Expert? In what?’

‘Hypnotism.’

This guy really did have a habit of deluding himself.

‘Don’t make me laugh. You’re not saying that somebody was hypnotised to kill somebody, right?’

Miyagawa had sad that coldly, but Ishii still did not flinch. Where did this confidence come from?

‘It is impossible to make somebody kill someone else with hypnotism.’

‘Doesn’t that not match up with what you’re saying?’

‘The point is that case comes from the testimony fifteen years ago.’

Ishii adjusted his glasses with his finger and declared that in a ringing voice before starting his explanation.

‘A-ko-san reported the incident at twelve AM. There is no doubt about it. However, A-ko-san actually heard the scream three hours earlier at nine PM.’

‘The dossier says it was twelve AM, right?’ interrupted Miyagawa.

‘That’s correct. However, A-ko-san first testified that it was at nine PM.’

Ishii laid out the copy of the files that Miyagawa had handed over to him earlier and pointed at a passage.

Just as Ishii said, it had read nine PM, but it had been changed to twelve AM.

‘Isn’t that strange? That’d mean that she heard the scream at nine and called the police right away at twelve AM. Did she use a carrier pigeon or something?’

Ishii laughed while clutching his stomach at Miyagawa’s light sarcasm.

It irritated Miyagawa since he felt like he was being made fun of, but he bore with it.

‘Carrier pigeon? How amusing. However, that is unfortunately not the case.’

‘What is it then?’

‘In short, this. A-ko-san heard the scream at nine PM. After that, somebody guided her into a deep hypnotic state.’

– Was he serious?

Miyagawa glared at Ishii, but Ishii continued speaking, paying him no heed.

‘Then, at some sort of signal, she woke up after three hours and reported the incident to the police. A-ko-san lost the memory of the three hours she was hypnotised for, so she thought that she had called immediately after she heard the scream.’

‘Isn’t that just your delusion?’

‘It isn’t a delusion. I said this earlier as well, but I have confirmed this with an expert. The trick I just discussed is actually possible.’

– Really?

If what Ishii said was true, that would get rid of the bumbling time difference they’d had up until now all at once. But –

‘Is it really possible?’

‘It is. It is called hypnotic amnesia. One is put into a deep hypnotic state and made to forget that one was hypnotised using a suggestion.’

It wasn’t coming together for Miyagawa.

‘I don’t get it.’

‘For example, when somebody faints, what was just a moment to them could actually have been many hours. It is the same sort of thing.’

Miyagawa had experienced that himself.

Fifteen years ago, Miyagawa woke up in the hospital after having his head hit. It had been just a moment for him, but it had actually been six hours.

‘But how about the autopsy? The time of death was said to be around twelve AM.’

‘I checked with Hata-san. The final time of death was decided based on the scene of the crime. He had taken a look at the situation and used a broad interpretation of the autopsy results.’

‘What did you say…’

‘In short, Hata-san’s analysis put the time of death for the corpses from seven to nine PM.’

Miyagawa stood up unconsciously in his agitation.

‘Why would anybody need to do something so troublesome?’

‘In order to change the time of the crime and give the culprit an alibi.’

If the method Ishii discussed was possible and actually happened, it would be a great way to make an alibi.

However, there was something Miyagawa just couldn’t accept.

‘I was the first at the scene then. I saw the guy who did it there. If he was trying to give himself an alibi, why’d the culprit be there? Isn’t that strange?’

Ishii’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

‘Perhaps – this is just a possibility, but, what if he wasn’t the culprit?’

Miyagawa wanted to rebut Ishii’s words, but he couldn’t speak.

His forehead was drenched in sweat. How many years had it been since he’d sweated as unpleasantly as this?

Miyagawa had been hit in the head then and he’d fainted.

Because of that, he couldn’t remember the culprit’s face clearly, but the fear he’d felt then had filled his body.

He’d felt instinctively that that man wasn’t Takeda.

The reason was that Takeda was human. He might have had hatred and anger, but those were peanuts compared to what Miyagawa had seen there.

An oppressive evil. He didn’t believe in a god, but if he had to give an example, that had been the devil.

‘Chief Miyagawa. Would you allow me to see the documents?’

Miyagawa handed the documents over to Ishii before replying.

The documents had the details for two names that had come up as suspects before the police had decided that Takeda was the culprit.

Ishii immediately started looking through the documents.

A number of things happened during that case and the police got the time of the crime wrong.

Was my testimony one of the reasons for that –

Miyagawa felt like his legs would collapse underneath him.

If what Ishii said was true, that would mean they’d been chasing an innocent for fifteen years.

But he didn’t understand. Why didn’t Takeda agree to be taken in for questioning?

He’d run off without agreeing, which had been one of the reasons the police had decided Takeda was the culprit.

‘I’ve got it! I’ve got it!’

Ishii suddenly shouted and jumped up.

‘Calm down!’

Ishii smiled even more at Miyagawa’s yell.

‘I can’t be calm. I’ve finally found the true culprit.’

‘What did you say!?’

He determined the culprit from the two suspects? But on what basis?

Miyagawa wanted to ask these questions, but before he could, Ishii ran out.

‘Where are you going!?’

‘To investigate, of course,’ said Ishii, turning around as he did so.

He fell –

–

10

–

Haruka looked at the photo again.

– I can’t think of anything no matter how hard I try.

She hadn’t been able to question Yakumo when she’d noticed he sounded strange when he called her. It might have already been too late then.

The corners of her eyes felt warm. Tears were welling up. This was no good. She felt like she wouldn’t be able to meet Yakumo again if these tears fell.

Haruka bit her lip and gripped the red stone on her necklace with both hands.

– I can’t give up.

She spurred on her crumbling heart.

There had to be something she’d missed. Something very important –

‘Haruka. You said you met Takeda-san, right?’ said Keiko, putting a hand on Haruka’s lap.

Haruka knew who he was now, but it was still a puzzle as to why he’d come to see Haruka.

‘Yeah.’

‘What did he say?’

‘He wanted me to save Yakumo-kun. And that Yakumo-kun was in Nagano.’

‘Why did he ask that of you? Hasn’t Takeda-san met Yakumo-kun?’

Haruka had the same doubts as Keiko.

And how did he know I was searching for Yakumo? Why didn’t he meet Yakumo directly?

The questions in Haruka’s head suddenly brought up a memory.

The day she went to the to search for Yakumo, she’d felt somebody’s gaze. That hadn’t been her imagination.

– Takeda was watching me.

Takeda must have gone to meet Yakumo as well. There, he saw Haruka.

However, that didn’t explain why Takeda hadn’t gone to save Yakumo himself.

‘If what Takeda-san said is true and Yakumo-kun is in Nagano, doesn’t that mean Azusa-san is also in Nagano?’

Keiko proposed another question while Haruka was pondering.

The moment she heard that, the image from the video came back to her.

She felt like her head was being squeezed.

And then – she was led to a conclusion.

‘That’s right, Mum!’

Haruka’s voice was close to a yell.

Keiko was taken aback by the suddenness of it.

Haruka had thought something was strange when she saw that video.

The moment the video became completely dark, she’d heard the faint sound of something like footsteps.

Isn’t that from two videos being edited together –

In short, the first half and second half of that video had been taken at different places and put together.

Which meant that the second half with Azusa – she didn’t know where it was taken.

No, that was wrong. She had to calm down and think.

Supposing that Yakumo realised that too, Yakumo searched for that place. Then, he arrived in Nagano –

She didn’t have any basis for it, but those two lines of thought led her to one place.

‘Hey, Mum, Do you know where the incident with Azusa-san occurred?’

‘Ah, er… I know the area,’ replied Keiko, a bit lost for words.

Keiko didn’t understand what Haruka was thinking and looked like she had been caught by a fox.

‘Please, Mum. Take me there,’ begged Haruka as she gripped Keiko’s two hands.

–

11

–

Ishii drove his car quickly.

Urgency and exhilaration were mixed together, making his blood run wild.

There was no margin for doubt any more. The background and actions on the day of the crime of the two suspects had been in the documents Miyagawa showed him.

Ishii had realised immediately when he saw them. If his theory was correct, that narrowed the suspects down to one.

‘Oi, you’re driving too fast!’

Miyagawa gripped Ishii’s shoulder from the passenger seat.

Ishii didn’t understand why Miyagawa had come along.

The moment Ishii started the car, Miyagawa had stopped him, standing in front of the car with his two arms spread wide. Ishii had thought Miyagawa would try to hold him back, but he’d sat in the passenger seat without a word.

The statute of limitations was almost up for Takeda, so who was going to direct the investigation of the scene? Ishii had that question, but he didn’t dare to ask.

‘Even if you tell me that I am driving too quickly, I am in a hurry…’

‘Stop whining! You don’t have the police siren on so obey the speed limit!’ said Miyagawa indignantly.

‘Um, could I turn it on?’

‘What?’

‘The siren.’

The moment Ishii said that, Miyagawa raised his hand. However, he didn’t hit Ishii.

Ishii thought that Gotou and Miyagawa were very similar. There was just one thing decisively different about them. It was power. It was partly physical, but Gotou’s power to rush at something overwhelmingly exceeded Miyagawa’s.

This was one of those instances. If it were Gotou, he would have hit Ishii’s head without any hesitation.

For some reason, I feel like something’s lacking –

‘And where are you heading in the first place?’

Miyagawa finally asked that question.

Ishii had been sure that Miyagawa had stepped into the car knowing that, so he let out a surprised ‘Eh?’

‘Isn’t it obvious that I&r